Lithium Sulfide –Carbon Composite Use as Positive Electrode in Post Lithium Ion Batteries Technology

Abstract

Li‐ion batteries (LIBs) are the powerhouse for the electronic devices in this modern mobile society, and enabler of the current communication revolution. Consumers demands advanced electronics and sustainable industries in general. To satisfy these demands, the new generation of rechargeable batteries need to provide much higher energy and power density than the actual technology. Commercial LIBs consist of lithium cobalt oxide as positive electrodes and graphite as a negative electrode, this system has energy density values ca. 250 WhL-1.Lithium-sulfur is commonly considered as one of the most promising chemistries for improve traditional lithium-ion batteries in weight sensitive applications due to high theoretical capacity of lithium sulfide (Li2S) and high gravimetric energy density of such cells. Li2S provides a promising route for lithium storage due to high theoretical specific capacity (1166 mAh g−1). This positive electrode material can be coupled with lithium-free negative electrode to develop high-energy-density batteries; this can improve the safety of the devices. Li2S is significantly more thermally stable, and offer greater mechanical stability as no further volumetric expansion occurs upon cycling.Li2S particles must be handled only in inert atmospheres (making production of high-performance cathode materials, on a commercial scale, quite difficult) and suffer from rapid degradation in cells during cycling. There are still challenges with it (e.g., low conductivity, high over potential and irreversible polysulfide diffusion), which have prevented the S utilization and stability. The dissolved polysulfides deposit on the surface of both electrodes resulting in a rapid impedance growth, loss in active material and ultimately battery failure.The complex synthesis method of Li2S–carbon composites restrains the large-scale productivity. We propose an easy and time saving method to synthesize a Li2S based nanocomposite cathode material by wet milling.This work may shed fresh insight into bridging the huge gap between high energy and safety of rechargeable cells for feasible applications. Figure 1